Cork-feeder.



G. FAST.

CORK FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED on. IT, 1913.

l 1 85,895. Patented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. FAST.

CORK FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1?, 19m.

1 1 85,895 Patented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

M66193: Q I M G. FAST.

CORK FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 17. 1913.

1,1 85,895. Patented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- ED sTAs PATENT oFEIo GUSTAV FAST, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOB '.I.O THE GROWN CORK & SEA

COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY. v

coax-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 17, 1913. Serial No. 795,868.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, GUSTAV FAST, a c1t1ze n of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cork- Feeders, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part' of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic cork feeding mechanism, and particularly to mechanism for feeding cork to closure-making machines.

In making closures of the type known as crowns which are npw in neral use as bottle closures, a cork disk is inserted in ametal shell, being secured therein by suitable means, as for example by an adhesive. The shells and cork disks are assembled by machinery, and it is necessary to provide such machinery with means for feeding the cork disks, one at a time, to the respective metallic shells. In the use of such cork feeding means hitherto employed, considerable hand labor was necessary in keeping thefeeding mechanism properly supplled with cork disks.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a cork feeding mechanism particularly adapted for feeding cork disks to a machine for assembling crowns, the construction being such that the said corks. may be supplied in a loose mass and will be properly alined and fed automatically to said asskilled in the art from the description hereinafter, the invention consists in the features, details of construction and combination of parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out.

the line 6-6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 adetail view on anenlargedscale and partly in section showmg the construction of the pitman head; Fig. 8 an enlarged detail sectional v ew on the line 8-8, Fig. 5; Fig. 9 a plan view partly broken away of an apparatus Patented-June 6, 1916.

embodying a part of the invention 1n 2. modified form; and Fig. 10 a detail sectional view on the line 1010, Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a receptac le, arranged to contain corks in bulk, that is, in a loose, unarranged mass. In the pres 'ent example this receptacle is formed as a hopper and is provided with an outlet 2 closed by a suitable closure device, such as a cap 3, which may be removed when desired in order to empty the hopper.

The receptacle or hopper 1 is arranged to discharge into a suitable alining'device, the

purpose of which is to aline or pile the corks in a regular order or series, so that they may be properly presented to the assembling mechanism which assembles the crowns. In the present example this alining device comprises a conduit or duct for the corks, this duct having'its interior of a cross-section suflicient to permit the passage of one cork but not of more than one at one time. As the corks are circular in cross-section, the duct walls should be of such a form as to inclose and touch a circle slightly larger than that of the cork. In the resent embodiment of the invention the alining device is formed as a tube of circular cross-section as indiscated at 4, this tube having an interior diameter but slightly larger than the diameter of the cork disks which are to be used. The tube may be cut away or slotted as indicated at 5 in order to permit inspection of the alined corks within it. In order to allow the hopper to discharge readily to the alining device, the latter has a mouth-piece which in the present example is of generallv trumpet shape, as indicated at 6.

The alining device, together with its mouth-piece, is arranged to be shaken or agitated so as to shake the corks and thus prevent them from clogging the alining device and also to assist the entry of the corks from the hopper to the alining device. Any suitable means may be provided for shaking the alining device, but in the best embodiment of the invention, the shaking means should be such as to ive the upper end of the alining device sue a movement that every portion of it will describe a closed path and particularly a path which may be considered as a closed curve. In order to allow this movement of the alining device, its lower end should be flexibly mounted} and the length of the alining device should be sufficient to allow the desired oscillation, vibration or movement as hereinafter described of its upper end while requiring but a slight angular movement of its lower end. In' the present example, the alining device has its lower end flexibly mounted on a part of the assembling machine, this part comprising means for removing the corks singly from the aliningtype of assembling mechanism shown is that disclosed in Patent 798,549 to W. H. Wheeler, granted August 29, 1905. So much of this assembling mechanism as is shown may be briefly described as follows The .machine'comprises a shell carrier arranged to transport metallic shells, one at a time, from the point where they are fed to the machine to the point at which the corks are to be assembled with the shells. The machine also comprises a means for removing.

the corks, one at a time, from the alining device and transporting the corks to the point ,at which they are to be assembled with the shells, each cork being brought above its respective shell. At this point a plunger device is arranged, this plunger de- .vice being operated at the proper time, when a cork and its respective metallic shell are opposite each other, to force the cork into the shell. The various mechanisms are oper-' ated at the proper intervals from a main shaft.

In the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, the main shaft is shown at 7 and is arranged to be operated by a belt pulley 8 which may be driven from any suitable source of power. The shaft is provided with a 'worm 9 having an inclined portion and a straight portion, this worm engaging a worm-wheel 10 mounted on a vertical shaft 11 to which the means for transporting the metallic shell is attached. This means, in the present example, consists of a stairwheel 12, into which the crowns may be fed, one at a time, by any suitable means, not necessary to be considered in the present case.

A rotary device for transporting the corks singly from the alining device to the point where they are to be assembled with the shells, is arranged to overlap the starwheel 12, so that when the cork is brought "to the point of assembling, it will be above its respective shell. In the present example, this rotary transporting device comprises a ring 13, Fig. 10, having a vertical wall and an annular inward-extending horizontal wall provided with a series of downward-extending guide sockets or nozzles 14 through which the respective corks may be discharged to their respective shells. The vertical wall of the ring 13 carries an annular plate 15, which is secured to the vertical wall by screws, as indicated. at 16, Figs. 4: and 10. The annular plate 15 is provided with a series of cork-receiving openings in alinement with the openings through the guide sockets 14. The transporting device is rotatably mounted upon a circular stationary plate 17, which, rests upon an up- .ward projecting boss 18 of, a base plate 19.

A cover plate 20 is mounted above the annular plate 15,the cover plate 20 having .adownward pro ecting boss which rests upon the plate 17.

'The'plates 20 and 17 are secured to the boss 18 bymeans of a central pin 21 screwed into the boss 18; furthermore, the plates 20 and 17 are held against rotation by means of pins 22 and 23, respectively. The stationary plate 17 is provided, at the point where the respective corks and shells are assembled, with a hole or opening, as will be clear from Fig. 10. Immediately above this hole or opening and in a .line therewith is mounted a vertically-moving plunger 24, Fig. 2, longitudinally movable in a shoe 25 carried by a reciprocatory bar 26, the plunger 24 bein normally pressed downward by a spring 2 the extent of its downward movement being limited by suitable means such as a nut,or the like, attached to the plun er above the shoe 25, as-indicated at 28. he reciprocatory bar 26 is mounted in a suitable guideway carried by the main frame, as indicated at 29, and is provided with a roller 30 arranged to enter 'a box cam indicated at 31, Fig. 2, formed in the side of a cam disk '32 mounted on the shaft 7. The cover plate 20 hereinbefore referred to is provided with a tubular neck 33 with which the lower end of the alining device in flexibly connected, the interior of the neck bein tapered downward as shown in Fig. 10. n the present example, the flexible connection between the neck and the alining device is made by permitting the lower end of the alining device 4 to rest on top of the tubular neck 33, the said lower end of the alining device. 4 being held against lateraldisplacement and yet flexibly by means of an elastic packing 34 held by a collar 35 which is screw-threaded to said tubular neck menses 33. As the corks are fed down the alining in the plate 17 beneath t e plunger 24. --At this time a metallic shell already provided with suitable adhesive material, if desired, will be brought by the star-wheel 12 beneath the nozzle 14, as indicated at 36, Fig. 10, and thereupon the plunger 24 Wlll be depressed to force the cork downward into the shell. The rotary cork transporting device is arranged to be operated in any suitable manner, in proper timed relatlon to the shell transporting device. In the present example, this is accomplished by permitting the teeth of the star-wheel 12 to engage the downward extending nozzles 14, so that as the star-wheel is rotated intermittently, the cork transporting device is simultaneously rotated.

In order to prevent the rotary dial from overrunning, by its own momentum, a suitable friction device, such for example as a shoe 37, is arranged to bear against the edge of the ring 13, the amount of pressure being adjustable by means of a. screw 38, Figs. 1,

2 and 3. i

For the purpose of shaklng or agitating the alining device, any suitable means may be employed. In the best embodiment of the invention, however, this means should be such as to give the inlet end of the alining device an orbital motion or nutation. In

the best form of apparatus, such shaking means is constructed as follows: To the alining device is connected a pitman having one end arranged to reciprocate in a suitable guideway and the other end connected to the crank of a crank-shaft, the alining device being suitably connected to the pitman. at a point intermediate the crank and guideway.

In the example illustrated in the drawings, the pitman comprises a shank 39 having one end bent downward and inserted in a slot serving as a guideway and formed in a block 40 attached to a suitable part of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1. The pitman also comprises a head 41 formed of two halves, one of which is secured to the pitman, while the two halves are held together by screws 42, as shown in 7. The head has two ring portions as shown in Figs. 3 and 7,

one arranged to encircle the alining device 4- and the other to encircle an antifriction head 43 mounted on a crank 44, Fig. 6, carried by a crank-shaft 45 journaled in suitable antifriction bearings 46, 47 mounted in a housing 48.

The "crank-shaft 45 is arran ed to be driven by suitable means. .In t e present example,- the crank-shaftis driven from the main ulley 8 of the machine through a suitab e transmission device, as, for example, a shaft 49 connected to the crank-shaft 45 by spiral gears as indicated at 50, 51, Figs. 5 and 6. The shaft 49 is suitably mounted, as, for example, in antifriction bearings 52 and is arranged to be driven from the main pulley, with whichit may be engaged and disengaged when necessary. In the gresentexamplathese results are accompli edas follows: Means is provided for transmitting motion from the pulley 8' to the shaft 49, and the shaft is mounted so that this means may be disengaged. In the present example, the inner face of the pulley is arranged to serve as a friction-surface and the shaft 49 is provided with a frictionwheel 53 which may run in contact with the said friction-surface, as shown in Fig. 5. The shaft 49 has one of its bearings 52 mounted in an eccentric 54 rotatable. in a boxing on a part of the frame, the eccentric being provided with a handle 55 by which it may be rotated, the handle bein acted upon by suitable yielding means suc as a spring 56 tendin to turn the handle in the direction where y the eccentric will For the purpose of holding the friction- I 3 wheel 53 out of engagement with the main pulley against the action of the spring 56, a spring-bolt 57 is provided, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that when the frictionroller 53 is in contact with 'the inner friction-surface of the belt-pulley 8, the shaft will be rotated and from it the crank-shaft 45 will be driven through the gears 50, 51.

The rotation of the crank-shaft will cause that part of the front end or head 41 of the pitman which encircles the alining device 4 to move in an elliptical curve or orbit, thus agitating or shaking said alining device. in the desired manner. As a result of this, when the receptacle or hopper 1 is supplied with corks, they will be fed to the mouth of the alining device and then shaken down the alining tube, falling by gravity to form a continuous alined pile in said tube.

For the purposeof preventing the corks from clogging or arching in the receptacle, suitable agitating means may be provided to agitate said corks. In the best embodiment of the invention, this agitator comprises means carried by the upper end of the alining device and arranged to project into the receptacle, as for example the rod 58 attached to the outer edge of the mouth-piece 6 of the alining tube and most advantageously made of a relatively light resilient curved rod or wire whose lower end is bent to form a ring which is secured in a groove in the outer edge of the mouth-piece 6 of the alining device,as shown in Fig. 2.

An apparatus embodying the features of the invention hereinbefore described will feed the corks from the loose bulk in the receptacle to the alining device, where they will be alined in regular order and from whence they will be fed singly to the respective metal shells by the rotation of'the dial at the lower end of the alining device. In order, however, to cause the alined corks to be fed rapidly and with certainty, apparatus embodying the best form of the invention will comprise means ,for driving the corks into the respective openings in the cork-receiving and transporting mechanism.

This driving means may be constructed in various ways. In the present application two ways are disclosed, one purely mechanical and the other pneumatic.

The mechanical means for driving the cork-comprises, in the best embodiment of the invention, a pair of feed-rollers, as indicated at 59, 60, Figs. 1 to 4, arranged to extend through openings in opposite sides of the alinin device and having their inner faces adapted to come into contact with the edges of the corks, the rollers being given a proper configuration for this purpose, as by concaving the rollers so they will receive a circular cork between them.

Suitable means may be provided for maintaininga yielding pressure of the feed-rollers on the corks, as for example by mounting one roller 60 in movable bearings and pressing it toward the other in a yielding manner as by springs. In the example illustrated in the drawings, one roller 59 is journaled in fixed hearings in the brackets 61 secured to the top or cover plate 20, while the other roller 60 is journaled in boxes 62 sliding in slots formed in said brackets, these boxes being pressed by springs 63 also located in the said slots.

The rollers are geared together by gearwheels, indicated at 64, whose teeth are large enough to maintain the gears inmesh,

notwithstanding the slight amount of movement of the rollers toward and from'each' alining device, the rollers slipping on the corks whenever the movement of the corks is positively prevented by the arrival of a solid portion of the annular plate 15 beneath messes the outlet end of the alining device, while,

such outlet}, the corks beyond the feed rollers will jump forward under the driving action of the rollers 59, 60, and thus force the lowermost cork into the opening in the plate 15.

Instead of the mechanical means for driving the corks out of the alining device, a pneumatic means may be provided, this modification of the mechanism being illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this form of the invention, means is provided for exhausting the air from each opening of the annular plate 15 as the opening comes into line beneath' the alining device, 'so that the bottom cork of the pile of alined corks will be suddenly sucked into the opening, that is to say, drivenin by the excess pressure of the atmosphere. To accomplish this result, a suction box 70, Figs. 9 and 10, is provided below the alining device and beneath the r0- tary cork-transporting device, this suction box 70, in the best embodiment of the invention, being of such a length as to always contain at least three of the nozzles 14, the suction box in the present example being an arc-shaped channeled block, Whose bottom and walls make an air-tight contact with the ends and opposite Walls of the respective nozzles 14 as they move through it. It is advantageous to have said box make an airtight contact with at least three adjacent nozzles in order that the ends of the suction box may always be closed, thus permitting a vacuum to be produced in the box before the arrival of the intermediate nozzle beneath the alining device.

The suction box is connected with a suitable exhaust mechanism (not shown) by a conduit or passage indicated at 71, which may lead through the base plate, as shown. Also, in order that the cork-receiving opening in the plate 15 may be exhausted, the plate 17 is provided with an opening 72 in line with the axis of'the outlet of the alining device. y

In apparatus employing a pneumatic appa'ratus'of the type described, the rotation of the plate 15 brings the respective openings in the plate 15 beneath the outlet of the alining device seriatim, whereby at the same time the corresponding nozzles 14 are brought into alinement with the passage 71 and, owing to the connection of the latter with asuitable exhaust mechanism, the air beneath the pile of alined corks is suddenly exhausted or rarefied, so that the bottom cork of the pile is forced down by the pressure of the atmosphere and thereby is driven into the respective opening in the plate 15. In order to aid in securing this action, the neck 33 is tapered inside from the diameter of the interior of the aliningdevice to the :when an opening in said plate comes under diameter. of the cork-receiving opening in the plate 15, so as to avoid leakage of air around the disk as much as possible.

What is claimed is:

1 The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, and a cork-alining device into which said receptacle can discharge, of means for shaking said cork-alining device, means for withdrawing corks singly from the said alining device, and means tending to cause a continuous movement of the alined corks from the alining device.

2. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, and a cork-alining device into which said receptacle can discharge, of means for shaking said cork-alining device, means for withdrawing -corks singly from the said alining device,

and means tending to feed the alined corks through the alining device.

3. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, and a cork-alining device into which said receptacle can discharge, of means for shaking said cork-alining device, means for withdrawing corks singly from the said alining device, and means for maintaining a difference of pressure at the two ends of the alining device.

4:. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, of a cork-alining duct arranged to surround a pile of corks and maintain them in substantial alinement on their passage through the duct, said duct being arranged to receive corks from the receptacle, and means for giving the upper end of said duct such a movement that every particle of said upper end will travel in a path constituting a closed curve, the direction of said movement being transverse to the direction oftravel of the corks.

5. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, of a cork-alining duct arranged to surround a pile of corks and maintain them in substantial alinement on their passage through the duct, said duct being arranged to receive corks from the receptacle, means for giving the upper end of said duct such a movement that every particle of said upper end will travel in a path constituting a closed curve, the direction of said movement being transverse to the direction of travel of the corks, and means for producing a thrust on the lower corks in the duct in the direction of their travel.

6. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, of a cork-alining device into which said receptacle may discharge, means for removing the corks singly from the lower part of the alining device, means for shaking the cork-alining device, mechanism for actuating the cork-removing mechanism and the'shaking means, and mechanism whereby the latter may be disen aged from the actuating mechanism.

7. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, of a mouth-piece projecting through the bottom of the receptacle and having its end flared upward, an agitator within the receptacle carried by the mouth-piece, and means for shaking said mouth-piece whereby the agitator is operated to agitate the corks in the receptacle and cause them to discharge through the mouth-piece.

8. The combination, with a receptacle arranged to contain loose corks in bulk, of a cork-alining device into which said receptacle may discharge, an agitator within said receptacle and carried by said cork-alining device, and means for shaking the cork- ,.8-:5

alining device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand, in t e presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV FAST. Witnesses: E. E. LOVELL, HARVEY COALE. 

